Wednesday, March 8

Sad story of how 97 year old, twin sisters met their tragic end

Twin sister Jean Haley and Martha Williams, 97, died together after they both fell on the same night at Haley’s home in Barrington, Rhode Island, US.

The twins were born in November 1919, on the kitchen table at home in Rhode Island, to a mother who didn’t know she was having twins and for the next 97 years of their lives, they were inseparable.

Haley and Williams, both widowed, met their younger 89-year-old sister for dinner at The Lobster Pot on Friday, March 3. Afterwards, they went back to Haley’s house, where it appeared they both fell before entering the house.

According to the short distance between their bodies when they were found unresponsive in the morning at about 8 a.m., it is believed that Williams fell while getting into her car and as Haley was going to get help, she fell a short distance away.

Williams was found lying still in the driveway while the Haley was still moving when she was found on the garage floor. By the time they were taken to Rhode Island hospital they were both pronounced dead. It was a very cold night (16 degrees) and it is believed they died of hypothermia after being exposed to the cold outside, all through the night.

Haley's son, John told Time that felt an odd sense of relief knowing they were still together. He also revealed that he told the hospital staff to keep their bodies close to each other.

They came into life together and they died together. It was kind of a comforting feeling to know they were still together. That’s the way they came in and that’s the way they went out.”

“They spent almost 10 decades together,” said Haley’s neighbour, Peter May. “They were born on the same day and they died on the same day. It’s a beautiful story of sisterhood.”

Williams’ daughter, Sue, 67, said the twins, whom she calls “the girls,” lived with grace and integrity, and a warm openness about how much they loved the people in their lives. She also revealed that at 97 they were still driving, enjoyed doing things by themselves and lived a full life.

“They made it so none of us feel we left something unsaid. And that is unbelievable, because we all leave things — ‘I wish I had said this, I wish I could do one more hug. I wish. I wish. I wish.’

“I know they expressed their love to everybody who came across them. I’ve had boyfriends from 50 years ago call me in tears, barely able to talk because they loved my mom so much,” she said.